Optically active or nonactive substituted pyrrolidine compounds are essential intermediaries for the synthesis of pharmaceutically active ingredients. Preparation of optically active or nonactive substituted pyrrolidine compounds requires at least four synthesis steps.
One method of preparing these compounds is envisaged, for example, by European patent EP 452143 in the name of TAKASAGO. This method discloses the preparation of a 1-benzyl-3-hydroxypyrrolidine compound via a cyclization reaction of an intermediary compound, 4-chloro,3-hydroxy-1-methylsulfonyloxy-butane, with the compound benzylamine in the presence of sodium carbonate in ethanol.